Mercedes Unzu Urmeneta

MERCEDES UNZU URMENETA

She has a B.A in Archaeology with highest honors from the Arts Institute of The University of Navarra (1982).

In 2006 she received the National Archeology Award from the Institución Cultura Viva (XV edition). Since 1994 she conducts the annual sessions of Archaeological heritage and rehabilitation done at the Architecture faculty at The University of Navarra. She has published 60 papers and monographic works and reviews in specialized magazines. Speaker in several national and international congresses as in various conferences sessions, she started her professional activity inside the archaeological department of the University of Navarra. From 1975-1989 she developed her activity as an archaeologist researcher in the Museum of Navarra.

In 1989 she founded Gabinete TRAMA S.L., a Company focused on conducting historical and archaeological research; she pursued that interest and she has always stresses the importance of the development and diffusion of the Archaeological heritage.

Unzu’s investigations, excavations and surveys done from 1989 – 2013 have taken her during all these years seeking and understanding the field of urban archeology and historical heritage both in a theory and at a preactical level.

Her most important achievements inside Navarra are: the Castle Square excavations, the Walls of Artajona, Santa María de Ujue church, Olite’s Castle, the Condestable Palace, the Oliva’s Monastery, Yarte’s Monastery, Eulate’s Palace, Santo Cristo de Catalain chapel , the Iron Age necropolis of El Castillo in Castejón, the fortification area in Pamplona and of course the excavation of the Cathedral.

She stands out for her professional career and accomplishments, for her outstanding work when making heritage widely known. In addition to her publications and participation in numerous conferences, she also endorses her interest on the promotion of Culture by curating a large amount of national and international exhibitions.

She is responsible for the writing of the plan of the projects of a large and diverse amount of archaeological sites, like the fortified area in Rada, the Villa of the Muses in Arellano and the Roman city of Andelo, the fortified area in Artajona or the weapon factory in Orbaiceta. She also took part in the documentary 778 –La Chanson de Roland filmed by Olivier van der Zee.

She currently lives in Pamplona and she is the director of a restoration project at the Cathedral complex in Pamplona.